


Protector

by gentledusk



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Thracia 776
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 17:57:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18833800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gentledusk/pseuds/gentledusk
Summary: When they go, they take the children with them. He knows his lady, solider of Friege or not, would not have it any other way.





	Protector

**Author's Note:**

> Gotta love a guy who was ready to storm an entire fortress alone for Olwen's sake ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> As per usual, this wasn't actually written to be particularly shippy, but it can very easily be seen that way.

To Fred's shame, his mind had been so singularly focused on saving Lady Olwen that he had scarcely even considered the possibility of  _others_  being held captive in this thankless place as well. They are mere  _children_ –there is no good reason that they should be held here, deprived of their families, able to do nothing but await their inevitable fate…

They shrink back at the sight of him, him in his torn black and red uniform, splattered with blood both his and not his own. His gloves will probably never be white again.

“L…Lady Olwen. I am here.”

He’s breathing hard, swaying a little where he stands, but he resists the urge to uncork the vulnerary he carries with him. Instead, he holds it out to her, along with the Dire Thunder tome he’s brought along to give back. It’s possible that he gets a smudge of red on the cover, but. He hopes she can forgive him nevertheless.

“Are you another  _Imperial soldier?”_ a boy demands, taking a step forward.

There’s another, a girl, clinging to Olwen’s cape and just barely peeking out from behind her. Though the boy’s tone is harsh, hostile, his clenched fists tremble at his sides, and he makes no protest as Olwen steps in front of him.

“Fred,” she says. “We can’t…we can’t leave them here. I won’t allow it. Please, let’s take them with us.”

Just hearing her voice again–it makes his knees want to buckle, makes him want to cry, to cling to her cape like a child as well, to spout profanities at the  _esteemed_ General Kempf for engineering this whole situation in the first place. He can’t fall now, though. Lady Olwen is depending on him–and now, it seems these children are as well.

“Can you walk?” he asks, wasting no time in turning to the boy once more. The girl seems to be very firmly attached to Olwen’s leg, and he has no interest in trying to dislodge her any time soon. Their first priority is getting out of here, not in worrying whether the kids like him or not.

“’Course I can walk!” the boy sputters indignantly. “I ain’t no  _baby._ But why should I go with you?”

His eyes flick over to Olwen, who’s somehow already managed to coax the girl onto her back. In less trying times, perhaps he would’ve found the act vaguely adorable, but at the moment all he can wonder is why he can’t have the natural  _aura_  she seems to have that led these children to trust her so easily.

“I came to rescue her,” he says, gesturing to his commander, “and if you’re escaping with her, then it’s my duty to protect you all as well.”

Olwen nods at that, which Fred is pretty sure is the only reason why the boy, grumbling but standing down readily enough, finally agrees to follow him out of the cell.

“Do you want me to carry you as well?” he asks, very aware of the sight he makes. His back might be a little more blood-free than the rest of him, especially if he removes his cape, but…

The boy scoffs, crossing his arms and ignoring him, and it’s probably for the best, anyway–he’s still not sure he could bear another’s weight, particularly if he needs to fight again. Still, when loud cries and the clanging of metal reaches their ears, he looks down to find the boy’s fist clenched tightly in his blood-red cape, ragged fabric twisted in his fingers as they move closer and closer to the sounds.

“Promise we’ll get out of here,” he says. It’s not a request.

“I…” Fred starts. Of course he wants to promise that. But he also knows that–that there’s every possibility they might not make it out of here alive, Prince of Leonster’s aid or not.

“I want to go home,” the girl says, and Fred closes his eyes, just for a moment.

“On my honour as a knight–” he begins, drawing his battered sword.

“On  _our_  honour,” Olwen cuts in. She’s afraid, he can see it in her eyes, but she stands firm all the same. In the face of these children depending on them, they can do no less.

“On our honour,” he continues, “we will protect you with our lives.”


End file.
